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TRP: Goro and Larkin (Pet Names)
Jen: Setting Day 158, a few hours after the gang killed Asenka. Tavern in Glimmerton. "Double fours," Larkin announced, smiling over the cup. Her thumb brushed the edge of a die, giving it the gentlest of flips just she tilted the cup to cover her roll. Goro kept fixing her with a stare like he was physically trying to spear the truth out of her mind. Was this how people always felt when he started asking questions? Poor them. Luckily, Larkin was sufficiently armoured. Larkin tapped the table top with a copper coin, holding his gaze easily. "Your turn, buddy."(edited) Lina: Goro eyed the six and the three under his cup. It was a pretty good roll. If he'd been playing anyone but fucking Larkin, he'd have had this in the bag. There was no way in hell she'd rolled double fours, but he knew if she lifted her cup up now that's what he'd see, even if he hadn't caught her in the act. He reached into his pocket and came out with a handful of coins, which he threw in her face. "I quit, you fuckin' cheater." Jen: Larkin shot a hand up to ward off the coins and laughed. "Oh come on, you're not even trying." Lina: He yawned. "Too fucking tired. One of those specters did take a bite out of me, you know. Might've been an easy fucking fight but it was still a fight." He reached across the table to scrape up any of the coins that had landed there. Larkin could have the ones from the floor. Jen: "Hey jackass, that's my money," Larkin said but made no move to stop him. She picked up the coins from under the table and around her chair. "You know, next time I come visit you I'd rather you get me a cake or something like that, not a fucking ghost infestation. Or better yet, how about you move somewhere else." She stopped and looked him straight in the eyes. "Literally anywhere else." Lina: "What's wrong with the castle? Now that the ghost's gone." Jen: Larkin held up a hand and started picking off fingers. "The backstabbing visitors, the necromancer in the tower, the thieves guild outpost, the cannibal possessed by a god, the paranoid fire sorcerer..." Lina: Goro yawned again. Jen: "...and it's in the middle of fucking nowhere." Lina: "Ah, your real complaint. I get it. Well, the bad news is, if I do move somewhere else, I ain't getting any closer to Skyport. I'd move to the Sanctuary, or something. Calimport." He'd liked Calimport, but he wouldn't really move there for good, unless he could somehow convince everyone--Larkin included--to go with him. Jen: Larkin made an unhappy face. "What's wrong with Skyport? Now that Diva's gone." Lina: "Well, sometimes, when I go there, I get arrested and almost sacrificed to Bane." Jen: "That's just your face." Larkin grinned. "Nothing we can't change." Lina: Goro smiled and rolled his eyes. "What's so great about Skyport, huh? Now that I'm not there, especially. For the last fucking time, you should come stay in the castle. I wanna take you around with that pendant I got you for Candlenight. I bet there's some secret passageways and shit no one's found yet." Jen: "You know, now that I got chained to this dung hole of a town," she glanced around the room, at the faces of the villagers which she almost all recognised and that after only a day. Horrible. "I think I'm gonna be at the castle more. But only because I miss your stupid face. The castle sucks and so does this whole place." Lina: "Hey, the castle doesn't suck. It's a fucking castle. And I get to live there. I grew up in a goddamn box, alright." Jen: "So it's bigger than a box, fucking fantastic." Larkin rolled her eyes. He didn't get the fucking point. What good was a damn castle if he slept next to a death trap at night and had to hike four hours just to get to the next place with more people than chickens? "Honestly, it sucks not having you around back home but I'm still not gonna move in here. You're asking a fish to climb a tree, man." Lina: "Hey, you know, I get it. I spent my whole life in the city, pretty much. But I've adjusted. I like the quiet, actually. And the trees. You gotta give it a chance." Jen: "I hate the quiet. Makes me nervous. And everyone here knows my face, my name and where I fucking sleep. It's awful." Lina: Goro frowned. "Not everyone. Where do you sleep? I've got no idea."(edited) Jen: "Oh, just ask Tom what's-his-face over there." Larkin flapped a hand at the tap room, indicating no one in particular. "We literally spoke like, five fucking words to each other but I bet he could tell you." Lina: "God, and I thought I was paranoid. They're just a bunch of fishermen and farmers, Larkin. They don't give two shits about you. Who cares if they know your name and face? Motherfuckin' Diva knew your name, face, and where you slept, and you're no worse for the wear from it. I've got a damn good feeling Renar Basha knows where I sleep, and yet--" He gestured up and down at himself. Jen: Larkin snorted. "So? Just because you do it doesn't mean it's not stupid. Yeah, most of 'em are just farmers but they're not the ones I'm here for. Also, better safe than fucking sorry." Lina: "Who are you here for, anyway? I mean, I know you missed me, but given how much you apparently hate the place I doubt I'm enough to keep you around." Jen: "People with dull blades." She slipped out a knife and flipped it in her hand, fingers briefly forming the sing for "Skyport Thieves".(edited) Lina: "Oh yeah?" He lifted his eyebrows. "Lots of those in the area?" Jen: "Don't know yet. I'm just getting set up. Finding customers takes time." Lina: "Where is your shop, anyway? I wasn't kidding when I asked where you're sleeping. How am I supposed to find you?" Jen: "And I wasn't kidding when I said literally everyone here knows." Larkin took another disdainful glance around the room. "You know what, though, I got enough of this place. Wanna find out first hand?" Lina: "Sure do." He stood up from his chair and looked toward the others, planning to catch someone's eye and wave. They were all absorbed in what appeared to be some kind of drinking game, and a scam to boot. Eh, it was fine. "Lead the way," he told Larkin. Jen: She led them out the tavern and down the market street. Most of Glimmerton's houses were made of wood and clay, built on stilts either directly above the river or on shorter ones to keep the moisture of the swampy ground out of the houses. The place Cat and her set up their shop in was no different, if only a bit more dilapidated from neglect. A tree grew through one of the walls and they hadn't cut it down yet. Larkin hopped up onto the narrow wooden porch and spread her arms, presenting the thing to Goro. "Looks cozy, huh?" Lina: "Well good god, no wonder you hate the place. Look where you're staying." He climbed onto the porch after her. "You sure you wouldn't rather be in the castle? It's not that far, you know." Jen: "Mask, I don't wanna spend one fucking night in here." She turned to look up to where the castle lights shone on the hill. "But I kinda have to. Keep up appearances, you know. Also, dunno if I can leave Cat alone." She sighed and went to undo the locks. Lina: "You got a cat?" Jen: "No, that's-" Larkin halted and frowned down at the locks. Two were hidden and could be used from both sides of the door (first fucking thing she'd installed) but the third was in play view, one sided, and it was locked. "That's the little shithead who's supposed to be inside and sleeping, like I fucking told him, but has probably run off to get shitfaced." She opened the door and inside, did a quick sweep of the three small rooms, confirming no one was there. Lina: "Ah, jeez, that's the problem with living people. They kinda do whatever they want. Hey, maybe you could kill him and have Gwydion resurrect him for you. Undead servant kind of thing." Goro moseyed in after her, glancing around in the dark space. Nothing much notable about it. Jen: "There's no way in hell I'm gonna let anything this guy magiced up near me." Larkin knelt by the riverstone hearth and poked the embers until some lazy tongues of flame started licking up and she could feed them wood. Lina: "Alright, well, if your Cat-friend's not around, so much the better. No one to eavesdrop. Why you out here, exactly? Pissed off ol' Unc?" Jen: Larkin turned her head to shoot him a venomous glance " The fuck I did. No, it's.... ah, fuck." She shook off a spark that'd landed on her hand. "I'm here with a small gang. We're supposed to find out what the fuck the guild wants with Glimmerton. Show some presence. Renar said it's an opportunity for me to prove myself or whatever but I call bullshit on that. Not many ways to do that here in any case." Lina: "Huh." Goro frowned. "You sure you didn't make him mad?" Jen: "Not as far as I fucking know, no." Lina: "Fucking weird. I wonder if there was something he didn't want you to see, or some shit. Or... someone he didn't want you around." Jen: Larkin tilted over on her heels to sit back against the hearth, sighing heavily. "I don't know. Like what? Who? He usually just tells me stuff, y'know. " Lina: Goro took a seat on the floor nearby. "You tell me, I got no fucking clue. You're the one who called bullshit on his excuse, anyway." Jen: "Yeah, maybe it's not bullshit. Dunno. He's had me do things like that before, you know. Man, all the times I had to sit through him meeting with this gang lead, or cutting up that rat." She shook her head. "Feels like fucking punishment but it's never like I did something. Usually when I fuck up, he lets me know. He sure fucking does." Lina: "Yeah, that's fair. He doesn't strike me as the passive-aggressive type." Goro shrugged. "Must be something he's not telling you, though. I mean, maybe not even about this, just... about shit in general. Not like you're his second in command, or anything." Jen: "Yeah... Nah, that's Bretta. She runs everything when he's not around. I think he tried grooming me for a position when I was younger, what with him making me attend all his business meetings 'n shit, but then I met Finch and decided I'd rather rob houses with him." She cracked a smile. "Tieflings. Can't trust 'em." Lina: "Mm. Yeah." From what Goro recalled from that one time they'd met, Renar wasn't very respectful of tieflings, so it wasn't that funny. Jen: There was a stretch of silence after that but it wasn't the usual companionable sort. Larkin scratched at splinters in the floor board, trying to think of something to talk about. "So, Hansel, huh," she said before thinking better of it. "He treating you well? I mean-" she snorted. "Under the circumstances. You happy?" Lina: "What's that supposed to mean, under the circumstances? Yes, I'm fucking happy. I mean, happy as a sorry bastard like myself can ever really get." Jen: "I mean the circumstances of him turning berserk and trying to snap your skinny neck in half." Lina: "He was fucking possessed, Larkin. That wasn't him." Jen: "...yeah. Whatever." Didn't change much from her point of view but there was no arguing with Goro about it. Things like that, he became stubborn as an ass. She turned to the fire and shoved more wood in. Place was fucking damp. "How is it, having a boyfriend?" she asked, still poking around the fire with a piece of wood. Lina: Whatever, she said. Like it wasn't the literal fucking truth. He let it slide this time, since arguing with her wouldn't do any good. "It's... I don't know, kind of weird, since he's already married." He scooted closer to the fire and held his hands up. "You know, I'm a greedy son of a bitch, and I'd love to have him all to myself. Sometimes, the way he looks at me, it's like I'm the greatest fucking thing in his world. But then I see him looking at Mishka and I know it's not true. Eh. It's alright. I'm dealing with it. Talked to Amari about it. She says it's... fine, to be jealous, or something, as long as I don't expect Hansel to have to fix it. Gotta keep it to myself. And now you, I guess." Jen: "God, that's so... fucking sappy." She hung her head, smiling. "Mask. You know what I think about your choices of..." she handwaved it. "But man, I like seeing you so happy. It's nice." Lina: He glanced at her, surprised. "You thought that was sappy? I was telling you the worst part." Well, no. The night Asenka attacked him had been the worst part. But he wasn't going to tell her about that; she'd refuse to drop it. "You should hear me talk about the kind of shit we say to each other when we're cuddling. You'd be vomiting all over this room." He grinned. "Hey, speaking of, when's your wedding?" Jen: She hurled a piece of kindling at him. "Shut the fuck up. Fucking big mouth for one who was still a virgin like two months ago."(edited) Lina: He tried to dodge out of the way of the kindling, but it smacked him right in the face. He laughed anyway, cupping his eye. If she was making fun of him for being a virgin, that meant he'd won. "Can't say the same, huh? You're not saving yourself for the honeymoon, then?" Jen: "I sure as hell am not." She gave him her dirtiest grin. "Don't get your hopes up, pal, you're not officiating for me. I don't get attached to them like you do."(edited) Lina: He watched her for a moment, face serious, then a smile spread slowly across his lips. "Uh-huh. Sure you don't." Jen: She rolled her eyes. "What, you think just because some guy I fucked once sends me flowers I get all lovey-dovey doe eyed like you do with Hansel? Please." Lina: Goro examined his fingernails, all casual. "Oh, no, of course not. I'm sure you have very different ways of showing your affection. Very Larkin-esque ways."(edited) Jen: "Hey, the fuck's that supposed to mean?" Lina: "Hey, hey, it's alright, don't get defensive. I'm just saying, whoever the guy is, he's probably into knives and shit. It is a guy, right?" Jen: "It's- yeah, I don't... hey, hey why d'you think you know- you know what, Goro? Shut the fuck up, that's what." Lina: He just grinned at her. "So, when do I get to meet him?" Jen: She bit her tongue and forced her face still and her eyes to lock on his. "If you don't drop it, I'll start telling you about the Larkin ways in really fucking graphic detail and you'll never be able to get that outta your head." Lina: "Hm. Harrowing." Goro fought off a smile, trying to look serious as he nodded. "You wanna go? I let Hansel fuck me in the ass." Jen: Larkin opened her mouth, then snapped it shut again and pressed her lips together. She nodded, then held up a thumb. Lina: "No, not like that. With his cock." Jen: She groaned and covered her eyes with a hand. "Fuck, man," she said, snorting, and shook her head. "Was it any good? Big guy like that must pack some." Lina: "Was it any good? Larkin, I think I saw God." Jen: "You saw Mask? He sexy?" Lina: Goro smiled and wagged a finger at her. "That's enough outta me. Tell me about your special friend." Jen: "What's there to tell?" A whole fucking lot but if Goro wanted to know things, she wasn't going to tell him what he didn't ask for. Lina: "Name, what he does for a living, that kind of shit. Race. Fingers crossed he's a half-elf. I know you've got a soft spot for half-elves." Jen: "Hm, let's see." Larkin held up a finger to start counting. "Sir None of Your-Fucking-Business, doesn't give fucks for a living and, oh, right, after that info about your ass, literally anything but half-elf, thanks." Lina: Goro picked up the piece of kindling she'd hit him with and threw it back at her. Jen: She spluttered out laughter at the look on his face and swatted at the thrown kindling uselessly, the thing hitting her in the face and making her snort even more. Lina: "See, normally I'd refuse to tell any more information until the other person reciprocates, but in this case I think I need to do the opposite. You wanna hear more details? No? Tell me about the guy." Jen: "Man, you think you can shock me with that?" She caught her breath and waved a hand. "Please. You caught me off guard 's all. C'mon, do your worst." Lina: "Well, let's see." Goro thought for a minute, and his face grew hot. He hid it behind his hands and laughed. "Fuck. Fuck, I can't. Fuck you. Just tell me, you fucker. I wanna know, god damn it." Jen: She made a triumphant noise. "Fucking knew it. You're still new to this game, don't worry." She leaned forward and patted him on the head. "Fine. His name's Azriel and he's a tiefling. He is... a con man, or a spy or something. Great with the violin." And great... she smirked and let the thought slip out. "Great tongue and fingers." Lina: Goro winced. "Oh, god. I mean, I'm real happy for you, though. But gross." Jen: Larkin shifted to get more comfortable against the fire place, giving him a big shit-eating grin. January 17, 2019 Lina: "How'd you meet him?" Jen: "Caught him swiping pockets at the Sanctuary. Showed him how we do it in Skyport." Lina: Goro leaned forward, mouth open. "The Sanctuary? You've been seeing him for that long, and I'm just now learning about the guy? Hell." Jen: Larkin shrugged. "You never asked. Should I tell you about all the hookups I have or only the really good ones? Or only the ones that send me roses?" Lina: "Fuckin' did so. Before I left for Calimport, when you were giving me shit about... you know... Mishka." Goro was out of things to say, so he just stuck his tongue out at her. Jen: "Aw, buddy. Don't be mad. I just didn't think you wanted to know that much about me." Lina: "Listen, I don't need details on your damn sex life. But, you know, if you've found a guy who makes you happy in other ways--other ways, Larkin--then yeah, of course I wanna fucking know."(edited) Jen: Larkin smiled down at her hands in her lap and started digging at her fingernails. "Yeah, that's the thing. I like him but, uhm." She shrugged. "I don't think I can have something like- you have. With Hansel, y'know. Don't think I fucking want to either, but even if, getting attached like that would be a damn stupid thing for me to do."(edited) Lina: "Hah. You know, the funny thing is, up until recently I would've said the same thing about myself. Not in my wildest fucking dreams did I think I'd get what I have with Hansel." He'd fucking cried about it, against Hansel's chest. I thought I'd always be alone. Just thinking about it--about how wrong he'd been, about the fucking miracle that was Hansel loving him--gave him that painful feeling in his chest again, like his heart was being squeezed. He cleared his throat. "You never know, Lark. You never fuckin' know." Jen: Larkin made a noncommital noise, not laughing it off, nor agreeing. She didn't buy it, not really. Azriel was cute and amusing and she loved the bullshit and the biting jackass underneath when he'd dropped the facade. But even if she could imagine them being an actual couple of sorts, even then she shouldn't aim for that. He'd be in even more danger than she was already putting him into. Also, there was still the tiny secret of her being the Basha's niece. How ever would he take that news? "Actually, I'm surprised Renar hasn't married me off to one of the Melaines yet. Them or some cousin from the Calimport clan. Maybe he thinks I'd shank the guy in his sleep and destroy his pretty alliance."(edited) Lina: "Yeah, if you were my niece I wouldn't fucking try to marry you off, that's for sure. Who's the Melaines?" Jen: "Ha, thanks, Goro. Appreciate it." Larkin hestitated a moment. God, why, though? This was Goro, she could tell him. "The Melaines are a family clan in Moorland. They rule the place. Renar's had good connections to them for decades. They even used to visit but they haven't done that in a few years." One of her earliest memories was playing marbles on the floor of Renar's sitting room, with some other kids, while the adults were clinking glasses next door. Lina: Goro snorted. "So crime families make marriage alliances just like nobility, huh. Guess it makes sense. Hey, you never know, maybe one of those kids grew up to be handsome." Jen: "Eh, maybe. But I'd probably not get that one." She stuck her tongue out at Goro. "I'd get the one looking like you." Lina: "Hansel thinks I look like a god." Jen: "Hansel also thinks Jonn's a good kid. He's delusional." Larkin winked, and then, wanting to take a bit of the sting out of the tease, added, "Can only hope he'll also be a friend like you." Lina: "Psh, you think that's gonna make up for that other shit you just said?" Goro flicked his wrist, deploying the springblade she'd gotten him, and pretended to jab it at her. Jen: "Sure do. Mask." She hid her eyes behind a hand again. "Okay fine, you're a handsome guy, alright, but god, that's probably also what Hansel thinks and I really don't wanna know anymore 'bout that." Lina: Too bad, she was gonna. Goro couldn't stop himself from smiling. "He calls me chatichi. It means handsome, in Orcish. Actually, it means my handsome. 'Cause I'm his." Jen: "Nope," she announced and gestured at the springblade. "Changing topics now. How'd you like your present?" Lina: "He also calls me shemeshi. It means 'my sun.' I don't have any good names for him, though. Maybe you can help me come up with some." Jen: "This is my place but I will walk out on you." Lina: "Alright, alright. Change of subject. What sweet names does your special guy have for you?" He grinned. Jen: "Oh god." She stuck her tongue out. Lina: "Yes. I fucking win. Buy me a drink. Ah, shit, I don't drink. Make it up to me some other way." Jen: "Oh, no. I meant, that's what he calles me." She leaned in, grinning with her canines bared. "Oh. God." Lina: "Oh, god, is right. Fuck." He put a hand over his face and snorted. "Never mind. You win again. God." Jen: She snickered. "This is too fucking easy. You're adorable, Goro. But I should probably stop before you get used to it, huh?" Lina: "Too late. I'm fucking leaving." He retracted the spring blade and stood up, dusting himself off. "I mean--because I'm actually tired. I gotta go get some sleep. And get back to my boyfriend, and all. I didn't even tell him where I was going, shit." Jen: "Yeah, just leave me here alone, in this damp shit hole. Your best friend. The one who saved your life on several occasions and suffered your questions about tails and horns." She leaned her head back against the heart, eyes closed, and flapped a hand at him. Lina: "Psh. Come sleep in the castle, Lark. It's nice and warm." Jen: "I gotta kick Cat's ass in the morning, about not following orders." The castle was nice and warm, though. And the doors were thick, sturdier than the whimsical thing in this place. And Goro slept just across the hall. Ah, damn. Lina: "Oh, come on. You can kick his ass at noon." Jen: She stared at him for a moment longer, then got up. "You're a bad fucking influence, Goro Flatflower." Jen: END Title: Pet Names, Summary: Goro and Larkin hang out after a day of killing Ghosts. She shows him her place in Glimmerton. They talk about their love affairs and Larkin agrees to stay in the castle. Category:Text Roleplay